Sound recognition devices can receive and/or record sound in a particular area. For instance, a sound recognition device can recognize and process speech commands received by the device from a speaker (e.g., a person). As an example, a speaker can issue a speech command to a voice-responsive thermostat to raise or lower the temperature of a room, and the thermostat can receive and recognize the command, and adjust the room temperature accordingly.
Previous sound recognition devices may work well in ideal conditions, such as when the speaker is close to the device and/or there is no other (e.g., background) noise in the area. However, if the speaker is not close to the device, and/or if there is background noise (e.g., noise from another speaker, a television, a radio, an appliance, a vacuum cleaner, a barking dog, etc.) present in the area, it may be difficult for previous sound recognition devices to recognize the command issued by the speaker. That is, the performance of previous sound recognition devices may be significantly degraded if the speaker is not close to the device and/or there is background noise present in the area.